My One Word Resolution

My one word resolution for 2016 is Persistence.

I rarely wait until New Year’s Day to decide what one word I will choose to inform my actions through the coming year.  I begin on Solstice – darkest night. It is when the new year begins to me as we the wheel turns minute into the light and spring and rebirth.  I feel hopeful and full of the possibility that like nature, I too can begin again, be renewed, and choose new paths.

I light my candles, recite my small mantra (aka spell) and sit and sip and ponder the past.  I drew a card from the major arcana of my Tarot deck.  I spoke volumes about my current moment and showed so many possibilities.

Long story short my One Word is Persistence.

Why? Simple as I sat and looked back at 2015 I saw the myriad of projects started but never finished. Paintings in varying stages of completion, but not yet done; Essays – ditto; blogs – ditto; and query letters for a completed children’s picture book – ditto.

And so I chose Persistence.  I’m not going to do everything all at once.  I started by taking the Painting-a-Day Challenge for January.  I will paint one new painting every day of January and complete one unfinished one from my archive.

I will post one Blog a week – that’s easy as I write in my journal on a daily basis and it’s just a matter of transcribing an edited version for publication.

I’ve taken the following quote – one of my all-time favorites and posted it above my desk.  I paired it with a photo I took long ago of a flower growing in the middle of a sidewalk blooming where it was planted.

pic persistence 2016

 

 

 

 

Do You Do New Year’s Resolutions?

Although I celebrate New Year’s Eve and toast the New Year, I actually begin my celebration on IMG_7284Solstice – Darkest Night.

That’s when I light candles in each room and on my small altar.  It is also when I choose my One Word – that one word that will inform my intentions for the year.  My 2015 One Word is:  TransForm.  Below is my mini poster for fridge, desk and wallet

one word TransForm 1Solstice is also when I consider and pen my intentions (not resolutions) for the lengthening of days that lead to Spring and earth’s rebirth. I’m not going to begin them all on day one, but slowing work my way month by month through the 25 items on my 2015 Intention’s ToDo List.

  1. I intend to stock my Etsy Store this year.  So when an artist friend in Sacramento challenged me to join in the 30 paintings in 30 days January Challenge,  I’ll finally stock my Etsy on-line store this year.
  2. I intend to stick to my morning pages (read Julia Cameron’s Artist’s Way). I’ve been diligently doing since Solstice.
  3. I intend to keep up my Blog more consistently than I have this past year.  With this post being my first of 2015, I plan on posting at least 2 if not 3 days a week.

More to come – Happy 2015 y’all.

Did you choose “One Word” for 2014?

Watching the Today Show on January 1, I was fascinated to find an author, Jon Gordon, touting an alternative to the New Year’s resolutions that I, along with many others, annually make and rarely keep.

Although you can buy his book at Amazon (I haven’t yet, but might later), he explained his ‘one word’ premise – I’ve inserted a link to a free copy of a worksheet (not the book) that will help you choose your one word and get on with your new year.  He also encourages us to make our own “One Word” poster.

I chose CREATE as my one word for 2014

Definition:
Bring something into existence, produce, generate, make, fabricate, fashion, build, construct, establish, initiate, launch, develop…

I like this new approach to a new year more than making a lengthy resolutions.  Rather than resurrecting that old list of Must Dos and Must Don’ts, that hasn’t changed much in many years, I chose one word, an active verb, that encourages me to Create the life I want in 2014.  The possibilities are endless.

Although Gordon encourages us to make our poster from his website’s free downloadable templates, I made my own using using PowerPoint and a sunrise photo I took a few years back that I am particularly fond of.my one word poster create

It will be in the center of the 2014 Vision Board I’m working on this week.

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